The invention relates to an angle drive having a drive housing (51) with a first axis A1 for bearing means and with a second axis A2 for bearing means, which latter axis is radially aligned radially relative to the first axis A1.
Angle drives can be used in many ways in motor vehicles, land machinery and machine tools, just to mention a few application examples. In the field of motor vehicle technology, they are required in four-wheel drive vehicles with transversely built-in front engines. As a rule, such vehicles are derived from basic models with a front wheel drive only. In such cases, the angle drive directly follows a differential drive of the front axle, with the input shaft of the angle drive being firmly coupled to the differential carrier of the differential drive. The input shaft of the angle drive is provided in the form of a hollow shaft through which one of the sideshafts of the differential drive leads to the front axle drive.
The installation space of the angle drive to be accommodated in this way between the front axle differential and a drive-shaft behind or underneath the combustion engine is naturally very limited. Because of an ever increasing use of diesel engines with a high torque, the previously used angle drives reach their performance limit, i.e. in maximum torque runs, the required service life is no longer reached. Because of the limited installation space, the size of the angle drive cannot be increased.
Because of the installation restrictions, the objective is to design angle drives of this type in such a way that they are as short and compact as possible and to adapt same to the required torque capacity by providing same in a simple way with suitable gear sets.